Bruschetta with Sweet & Sour Pumpkin
Introduction
Bruschetta goes down a treat in our house – it’s the kind of thing that’s great for a substantial snack, or, if you make enough of it, for a light meal. It’s also the perfect home for bits and bobs of leftovers – especially leftover roast pumpkin and kumara!
Serves: Makes 6 large pieces or 12 half-slices
Ingredients
1 kg (generous 2 lb) grey-skinned (crown) pumpkin
1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts
Sea salt
6 large slices sourdough bread
1 fat clove garlic, peeled and halved
130g (4-5 oz) baby spinach leaves
Lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil
Method
1 Preheat an oven to 190°C (375°F). Peel the pumpkin, remove seeds and cut into smallish cubes. Transfer to a large shallow roasting tin lined with baking (parchment) paper. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the pumpkin with oil by jiggling the edges of the paper. Bake the pumpkin for 15 minutes, then remove the tin from the oven and turn the pieces over. Cook the pumpkin for a further 15-20 minutes, turning the pieces again, or until they are just starting to char on the edges.
2 Stir the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and drizzle over the pumpkin.
3 Heat a splash of olive oil in a small pan (skillet) over medium heat and add the pine nuts. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until lightly golden; don’t let them darken. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pine nuts to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle pine nuts with sea salt.
4 Lightly char the slices of bread on both sides on a preheated barbecue grill rack over gentle heat; take care as the bread burns easily. Alternatively, cook it under an oven grill, or in a hot and dry ridged grill pan until just starting to char around the edges. Rub each slice on one side with a cut clove of garlic.
5 Reheat pumpkin gently and stir through spinach leaves. As soon as the spinach starts to wilt, spoon the mixture on top of the bruschetta. Squish some of the pumpkin down a little with a fork, so it sticks to the bread, top with pine nuts and drizzle with lemon oil. Serve immediately.
